Radio Benziger

<p><strong>Radio Benziger is a community radio engaged in the effort to empower people especially those belonging to the marginalized segments in the city of Kollam in order to continuously develop the quality of their life in all its aspects.</strong></p>
<p><strong>It strives to achieve this by providing a platform where the members of the community come together to interact and share information, skills and knowledge regarding issues that concern them and through a participatory process of decision-making, pave the way for continuous development. In this process of community building, Radio Benziger constantly attempts to focus on the local culture and ethos.</strong></p>
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<p>Benziger Hospital Society, an NGO, has initiated been undertaking innovative initiatives like setting up community health centres, self-help groups etc. But the need to find new expressions of social commitment remains. Community Radio Benziger is designed as a people&rsquo;s communication platform for their development in away that reflects Benziger Hospital&rsquo;s social commitment.</p>

Community Radio Benziger is a CRS operating @107.8 MHz since just over a year. It broadcasts for 15 hours daily from 6:30 am – 9:30 pm.

Language of Broadcast: Malayalam

Name of the Programme

Format

Timing

Description

Janasabdam

Interview

7:30 am and 8:20 pm on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Radio meets people in their homes, work places, and in the streets in order to listen to them. Dhobis, workshop employees, taxi drivers, truck drivers etc. voice their grievances and views on various issues that concern them.

Nattukoottam

Discussion

Every Sunday at 9:15 am.

Discussions organized at the local level to address a local issue. Subjects like banning of trawling during monsoon season, sanitation and drinking water and other common issues related to local governance come up for discussion

Thalirukal

folk arts, music, drama, literature and talks

Every day at 8:25 am and 7:55 pm.

A school based programme to promote young talents. A collage of creative programmes including folk arts, music, drama, literature and talks produced by school children.

Prathibhakalilude

Mondays and Thursdays at 9:05 pm.

A programme to introduce and promote local talents. Local artists and others who stand out in the community on account of their accomplishments are introduced and honoured through these programmes.

Vaidyar appoopan

non-formal education

This programme designed in the backdrop of a family where the grandfather tactfully uses every suitable opportunity to educate the children on healthy living. Subjects range from challenges associated with climate changes, safe drinking water, sanitation, and monsoon related communicable diseases. This is an attempt to develop communication strategies suited to the content and local situations.

Source: Compendium 2011 and 2012, CEMCA and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

<p>Signature Programme: Kaathodukaathoram, Jana sabdam Community Participation: Themes for content generation are chosen from the suggestions made by people. Their participation in content generation is ensured through phone-in interventions, feedbacks through letters, radio clubs, community meetings, seminars and visits to the station. Innovations in format: Jana sabdam(People's voice), Kaathilthenmazhayayi(live discussions on social issues on phone).</p>

<p>Funding and Partnerships: All the initial expenses at the time of inception were met by the parent organization. Currently, the funding is through commercial advertisements. Future funding will be based on commercial advertisements, DAVP etc.</p>

<p>Kollam district recorded a high number of suicides last year. Radio Benziger addressed broadcast a series of programmes on the value of life and to bring hope to those in despair. The result: Several people contemplating suicides have called us to say that the programmes helped them give up suicide attempts.</p>
<p>The impact is obvious.Radio has become the first line of communication medium for people and even officials like the mayor, the district collector, police officials and others rely on radio for quick transmission of information to the public.</p>